Tottenham's top four competitors will be relieved to learn that Antonio Conte's team would be without one of their key players for the rest of the season.Matt Doherty's season-ending knee injury may have harmed the team's chances of finishing in the top four this season.
Arsenal and Manchester United will be alarmed by the news, given they are presently in fifth and seventh place, respectively, and are anxious to catch Antonio Conte's side and their Champions League ambitions next season.
In recent weeks, the 30-year-old Republic of Ireland international has gone from being out of form to becoming one of Spurs' most crucial players. Doherty thrives in Conte's system, which puts a lot of the offensive pressure on the shoulders of the wing-backs. In his last five games, the former Wolves defender has scored two goals and provided two assist. Due to a challenge from his Villa counterpart Matty Cash, Doherty suffered a significant knee injury during Spurs' rampaging showing away at Aston Villa. The Irishman fought valiantly to stay in the game, but was eventually forced to quit and leave the stadium in a knee brace.
According to football.london, Doherty's knee has already been scanned, and the results have showed that the defender has ruptured his medial collateral ligament, which will keep him out for at least 12 weeks. While this is a setback for Spurs, it also means that the right-back is unlikely to play for his country in the Nations League matches in June" I hope nothing serious happens," Spurs manager Antonio Conte remarked on Saturday. "He'll be examined by the physicians tomorrow." I'm hoping it's nothing serious because he wanted to keep playing but eventually decided to leave. I'm hoping so, since Matthew is a key player for us, and I'm hoping this isn't a serious injury."
Spurs will now have to rely on Brazilian international Emerson Royal, who joined the club from FC Barcelona in the summer and has had a rocky start to life in North London. Spurs are fully in control of winning the much-coveted fourth spot with seven games remaining. Arsenal are three points behind their North London rivals on goal differential, but they do have a game in hand over Spurs. United's plight is much worse, as they are now six points behind Conte's side after playing the same number of games.
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